The merchant caravan stayed for about three days, and during that time the ladies-in-waiting enjoyed
shopping
they could not normally do.
Since the higher consorts had no need to go outside themselves, first the middle and lower consorts with their attendants, and then the ladies-in-waiting who held official positions, would circle around the tents and each purchase whatever they liked.
The lower-ranked ladies-in-waiting could only look over what was left on the final day, but even so they seemed to be having fun, which made it clear just how little entertainment this place had to offer.
This caravan had come across the desert roads and brought back a great many exotic goods from foreign lands. It appeared to have passed through Consort Gyokuyou's homeland as well, and Maomao watched the attendants of the Jade Pavilion touching the crafts with nostalgic expressions.
Maomao would have preferred to look at medicinal goods, but those could not enter the rear palace directly, so at best only tea leaves and spices were sold as extras.
Having received some spending money from Consort Gyokuyou, on the third day Maomao—
Xiaolan
went around with.
Xiaolan had no money of her own and was only looking, but even so her eyes sparkled as she gazed at the Western glasswork.
Maomao bought a hair cord in a lovely color and quietly tied it in Xiaolan's hair.
When Xiaolan happened to notice it in a mirror, she suddenly threw her arms around Maomao and nearly knocked her over.
Maomao bought tea leaves and spices. The ladies-in-waiting of the Jade Pavilion had been taking turns browsing since the second day, but Maomao had held back, saying the third day was fine.
This was the reason.
(If it's the third day, they'll sell at a discount.)
What Maomao wanted was neither fashionable clothes nor jewels. Tea leaves and spices were the sort of throw-in extras that nobody would rush to buy. Besides, this was the rear palace in the first place—she doubted anyone would sell things at a fair price.
(Don't think you can rip me off that easily.)
This was the kind of creature Maomao was.
And so Maomao managed to get her hands on some reasonably rare tea leaves and spices at a bargain.
The tea was
jasmine tea,
an artisan blend in which tea leaves were infused into flower buds. Perhaps because it was leftover stock, they let her have it at quite a low price.
Maomao thought she had gotten a good deal, but before long she came to notice something. She would later reflect that she should not have gotten so carried away.
The latest trend sweeping the inner palace after the caravan's departure was perfumed oil.
The scent of various flowers drifted past with every passing breeze. On their own, each one might have smelled quite nice, but when dozens of different people all wore different varieties, even someone with a keen nose like Maomao found it rather irksome.
Unlike the faint, incense-like fragrances one might burn, the Western imports were characterized by their powerful, heady aroma.
It wasn't just Maomao who was affected — when she went to the laundry yard, garments drenched in perfumed oil were piled high, and the eunuch in charge of washing was grimacing as he filled a tub with water.
Trends always arrived in a overwhelming flood.
The nail-red craze had died down considerably, so people had eagerly latched onto the next new thing.
And there were plenty of people who had no idea whether it was actually any good but jumped on the bandwagon simply because it was fashionable.
If they enjoyed it, then to each their own, but for Maomao, who never managed to ride the wave of any trend, it was hardly a pleasant development.
She sighed as she set down the laundry basket. Just standing here, she felt as though the combined scents would make her tipsy.
While she stood there looking languid, a maidservant loaded down with an armful of laundry bumped into her. The clothes came cascading down over Maomao.
"I'm sorry!"
The maidservant, still in a high-pitched voice, hurriedly pulled the garments away.
The owner of these clothes appeared to be yet another trend-sensitive soul — the fabric was thoroughly saturated with the scent of roses.
(Roses, huh.)
Maomao briefly entertained the thought that if she sold the rose water she had made the other day, she could turn a tidy profit, but decided it probably wouldn't work.
The truth was, she had made the rose water but never used it, storing it away instead. She had heard that rose essential oil could have adverse effects on pregnant women.
As long as Consort Gyokuyou didn't apply excessive amounts, it should have been fine, but one could never be certain what might happen, so caution was warranted.
In any case, she had been looking for an opportunity to sell it at the pleasure district before it went bad.
Hmm — Maomao blinked rapidly while clutching the laundry.
She sniffed the air and brought her nose to the garments.
The maidservant who saw this began to panic.
Ignoring the flustered girl, Maomao tossed the laundry into the fallen basket, then stuck her face into a different laundry basket.
This time, it wasn't just the maidservant — nearby eunuchs and other maidservants were all wide-eyed, but Maomao couldn't have cared less.
She proceeded to thrust her face into basket after basket, then moved on to the next, repeating the process over and over.
Once she had sniffed through most of them, she picked up the laundry baskets to take them back — then forgot about that entirely and headed somewhere else.
Trends, and where they spread most easily — Maomao knows full well.
That day, the screams of the maids at the Crystal Palace echoed throughout the Rear Palace.
She had expected him to come, and sure enough, that evening the beautiful eunuch appeared at the Jade Palace.
In his hand he held what appeared to be a protest letter — an anonymous complaint of sorts.
"I thought you were someone with a bit more restraint."
Jinshi's exasperated face was tinged with a hint of anger.
Behind him stood Gaoshun, his exasperation laced with sympathy; Gyokuyou, who looked troubled yet couldn't contain her excitement; and Hongniang, who was barely keeping her horrified expression hidden behind a thin veneer of composure. Princess Lingli had been put to bed early, and the other maids were keeping her company.
(Yes, that's fair.)
Maomao thought. But it was too late.
To turn a hypothesis into certainty, one needed plenty of evidence. The Crystal Palace had been perfect for that purpose, and Maomao could only blame her own curiosity for getting the better of her.
"I'm sorry. I got carried away and did it without getting their permission."
"What kind of excuse is that? Something a dirty old man would say."
I don't want to hear that from an actual pervert, Maomao thought, but she lowered her head and pretended to reflect on her actions regardless.
"Next time I'll make sure to get permission before sniffing."
"Why are you sniffing anyone?!"
His tone was harsh. "Oh dear," said Gyokuyou, blinking in surprise.
Realizing he had gone too far, Jinshi softened his slightly narrowed eyes back to their usual gentle expression.
For the time being, Maomao was contrite.
What she was sorry about was forcing her way into smelling them without permission. She also needed to apologize for getting so excited that she had nearly stripped one of them half-naked. And for choosing the maids of the Crystal Palace as her targets, of all people.
Thanks to this, her reputation — already that of a demon or a monster — had been further
elevated
so it seemed.
Even so, Maomao told herself she still had to verify it.
(That should be enough repentance.)
Maomao looked up and stared at Jinshi. She had to consider the fact that he had come so quickly thanks to the complaint as good news.
Maomao thought she needed to make a quick decision.
"There is a reason for this, even so."
She kept staring at Jinshi for several seconds.
Jinshi's expression remained blank as he moved his lips.
"Is it a proportionate reason?"
"Needless to say."
Maomao answered firmly.